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Exclamation mark The Technology, extensive range of tweaks, tricks & hacks for optimizing, enhancing and securing the Windows, Linux, Mac operating systems. Get started by exploring the categorized tweaks below:

Windows Vista : Customize the User Interface tweaks

Enable New Boot screen in Vista Beta 2

Tired of the pathetic boot screen in current Vista builds? There is a new trick that will allow you to see what may be the new boot screen for Windows Vista. This new boot screen is still not what we have been expecting but is a move in the right direction compared to the white progress bar screen currently used.

Enable New Boot Screen:

1. Click on the start orb and type in "MSCONFIG" in the textbox.

2. Once the System Configuration tool loads, click on the Boot tab.

3. Under Boot Options check "No GUI Boot".

4. Hit OK and reboot to see the new screen.

Enable New Vista Aero Cursors

With the latest post-beta 2 builds, Microsoft has included new Aero cursors that are not turned on by default. Follow the steps below to use the new cool looking cursors:

Right click on your desktop and select Personalize.
Click on the Mouse Cursors item to select a different mouse cursor scheme.
Change the Scheme from None to Windows Aero.
Click OK to see the new Aero mouse cursors.

Enjoy the new cursors!

Enable Vista Glass look on Unsupported Video Cards

Microsoft Windows Vista, formally Codename longhorn has a new user interface system codenamed Avalon. This new user interface engine greatly enhances the look by utilizing several cool looking 3D effects. Of course, to be able to fully utilize the new engine you need a good 3D video card on top of special drivers, WDDM (Windows Display Driver Model).

To turn on this effect just execute c:\Windows\System32\UXSS.exe or enable and start the User Experience Session Management Service.

1. Open up Regedit.
2. Navigate through HKEY_local_machine, Software, and Microsoft.
3. Create a new KEY called DWM.
4. In the new DWM key you created, create a DWORD called EnableMachineCheck.
5. Make sure this value is set to 0 and hardware checking is now disabled.

Quick Note: Although you can get it to run on older hardware, with the lack of WDDM drivers available, it is going to run very slowly.

Kill Security Center Notifications

The new Windows Security Center in Windows Vista can be just as annoying as the security centers in previous versions of Windows. I am an advanced of a computer user to know that I do not have anti-virus software installed. I don't need the Windows Security Center to remind me that all the time.

Thankfully there is a new easy way to disable the security center messages.

Click on the Security Center/Windows Security Alerts logo in the system tray.
Click Change the way Security Center alerts me.
Select I do not want notification messages from Security Center.

It is now that easy.

Put Windows Vista Glass on a diet

Is the glass border in Windows Vista too fat your you? How would you like to put your Windows on a diet? Loose up to 80% of your window weight immediately with TweakVista.com!

Before Window Diet

After Window Diet

How to Adjust Vista Glass Window Border:

1. Right click on your desktop and select Personalize.

2. Click on Visual Appearance.

3. Click on Open Classic Appearance Properties

4. Click Advanced.

5. Select Active Window Border in the Items drop down box.

6. Increase or decrease border size.

7. Hit OK, OK and OK.

Warning: If you choose to quit the Window Diet you may experience excessive window weight gain as shown below.

Show Run Command on Start Menu

Windows Vista has a new search bar located on the Start Panel. You can use the new search box to find items in the various folders of your Start Menu as well as run any application from it. Just type in the name of the executable and it will search your hard drive for it and run it. This is a great feature but if you have a lot of files on your computer, then be prepared for a short delay since it may have to search for a while.

If you do not want to wait that long, there is a quick way to get the old Run command back on your Start Panel.

1. Right click on your taskbar and select Properties.

2. Click on the Start Menu Tab and then select Customize.

3. Scroll through the list and check the Run Command check box.

4. Hit OK a few times and it is back.

Slow Motion Aero Animations on Demand

For those of you have have the aero glass interface working on your computer, it is possible to hold down the shift key while closing, opening, and minimizing a windows to see the animation in slow motion. If you would like to test this out, just follow the steps below:

1. Open up Regedit.
2. Navigate thru HKEY_local_machine, Software, and Microsoft.
3. Create a new KEY called DWM if it is not aleady there.
4. Create a new DWORD called AnimationsShiftKey inside the DWM folder.
5. Set the new DWORD that you just created to a value of 1.
6. Restart your computer for the effect to activate.

Once you have restarted, just hold down the shift key to see any of the window animations in slow motion.